Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (3/396)

Minhaj as-SunnahIbn Taimiya

For this reason, Allah Most High says:

“If an evildoer brings you news, verify it.”

[Surah al-Hujurāt: 6]

Thus, He commanded verification (1) when an evildoer brings news. It is well known that wrongdoing does not preclude a person from performing an act of obedience or commanding it.

This is also something with which the Imāmis agree, for they do not maintain that those who commit major sins will abide eternally in the Fire (2). Thus, in their view, wickedness does not nullify [all] (3) good deeds (* unlike the Zaydis, the Mu‘tazilites, and the Kharijites, who disagree on this matter and maintain that wickedness nullifies all good deeds *) (4). If all his good deeds were nullified (5), his faith would be nullified; and if his faith were nullified, he would be (6) an unbelieving apostate and would therefore have to (7) be killed.

The texts of the Book and the Sunnah, as well as the consensus (8), establish that the adulterer, the thief, and one who falsely accuses another of illicit sex are not to be killed; rather, the prescribed punishment is carried out upon them. This proves that such a person is not an apostate.

Likewise, the words of Allah Most High:

“If two groups of believers fight, make peace between them”—to the end of the verse—

[Surah al-Hujurāt: 9]

indicate (9) that faith and brotherhood remain despite fighting and aggression.

(1) “Verification”: thus in (B) only; all other manuscripts read “clarification.” (2) “In the Fire” is absent from (N), (M), and (W). (3) “All” is absent from (N) only. (4) The passage between the two asterisks is absent from (M). (5) (N) and (M): *wa-law habitat al-hasanātu kulluhā* (“even if all the good deeds were nullified”); (W): *wa-law habita al-hasanātu kulluhā* (the same wording, but with a masculine verb). (6) (N) and (M): “was.” (7) (A) and (B): “therefore, it is obligatory.” (8) “And consensus” is absent from (M) and (W). (9) (N) and (M): “therefore demonstrated.”

وَلِهَذَا قَالَ تَعَالَى: {إِنْ جَاءَكُمْ فَاسِقٌ بِنَبَإٍ فَتَبَيَّنُوا} [سُورَةُ الْحُجُرَاتِ: ٦] فَأَمَرَ بِالتَّبَيُّنِ (١) إِذَا جَاءَ الْفَاسِقُ بِنَبَأٍ. وَمَعْلُومٌ أَنَّ الظُّلْمَ لَا يَمْنَعُ مِنْ فِعْلِ الطَّاعَةِ وَلَا مِنَ الْأَمْرِ بِهَا. وَهَذَا مِمَّا يُوَافِقُ عَلَيْهِ الْإِمَامِيَّةُ، فَإِنَّهُمْ لَا يَقُولُونَ بِتَخْلِيدِ أَهْلِ الْكَبَائِرِ فِي النَّارِ (٢) فَالْفِسْقُ عِنْدَهُمْ لَا يُحْبِطُ الْحَسَنَاتِ [كُلَّهَا] (٣) (* بِخِلَافِ مَنْ خَالَفَ فِي ذَلِكَ مِنَ الزَّيْدِيَّةِ وَالْمُعْتَزِلَةِ وَالْخَوَارِجِ، الَّذِينَ يَقُولُونَ: إِنَّ الْفِسْقَ يُحْبِطُ الْحَسَنَاتِ كُلَّهَا *) (٤) ، وَلَوْ حَبِطَتْ حَسَنَاتُهُ كُلُّهَا (٥) لَحَبِطَ إِيمَانُهُ، وَلَوْ حَبِطَ إِيمَانُهُ لَكَانَ (٦) كَافِرًا مُرْتَدًّا فَوَجَبَ (٧) قَتْلُهُ. وَنُصُوصُ الْكِتَابِ وَالسُّنَّةِ وَالْإِجْمَاعِ (٨) تَدُلُّ عَلَى أَنَّ الزَّانِيَ وَالسَّارِقَ وَالْقَاذِفَ لَا يُقْتَلُ بَلْ يُقَامُ عَلَيْهِ الْحَدُّ، فَدَلَّ عَلَى أَنَّهُ لَيْسَ بِمُرْتَدٍّ. وَكَذَلِكَ قَوْلُهُ تَعَالَى: {وَإِنْ طَائِفَتَانِ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ اقْتَتَلُوا فَأَصْلِحُوا بَيْنَهُمَا} الْأَيَّةَ [سُورَةُ الْحُجُرَاتِ: ٩] يَدُلُّ (٩) عَلَى وُجُودِ الْإِيمَانِ وَالْأُخُوَّةِ مَعَ الِاقْتِتَالِ وَالْبَغْيِ.

(١) بِالتَّبَيُّنِ: كَذَا فِي (ب) فَقَطْ، وَفِي سَائِرِ النُّسَخِ بِالتَّبْيِينِ. (٢) فِي النَّارِ: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (ن) ، (م) ، (و) . (٣) كُلَّهَا: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (ن) فَقَطْ. (٤) مَا بَيْنَ النَّجْمَتَيْنِ سَاقِطٌ مِنْ (م) . (٥) ن، م: وَلَوْ حَبِطَتِ الْحَسَنَاتُ كُلُّهَا، و: وَلَوْ حَبِطَ الْحَسَنَاتُ كُلُّهَا. (٦) ن، م: كَانَ. (٧) أ، ب: فَيَجِبُ. (٨) وَالْإِجْمَاعِ: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنَ (م) ، (و) . (٩) ن، م: فَدَلَّ.